ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

Abstract

An electrical connector including: a terminal body; an insulator accommodated within a receptacle of the terminal body, the insulator having at least one cavity adapted for holding a terminal connected to a wire of a cable; a metal ferrule accommodated within the receptacle of the terminal body; wherein the metal ferrule has a crimp portion adapted to be crimped onto the cable; wherein the metal ferrule is form-fittingly connected to the terminal body; and wherein the metal ferrule has a sleeve like holding portion centering the ferrule within the receptacle.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising: a terminal body; an insulator accommodated within a receptacle of the terminal body, said insulator having at least one cavity adapted for holding a terminal connected to a wire of a cable; and a metal ferrule accommodated within said receptacle of said terminal body; wherein said metal ferrule has a crimp portion adapted to be crimped onto said cable, wherein said metal ferrule is form-fittingly connected to said terminal body, and wherein said metal ferrule has a sleeve like holding portion centering the ferrule within the receptacle.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the holding portion of the ferrule is formed by wall portions bent into the form of a sleeve.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the holding portion and the crimp portion are arranged consecutively in axial direction.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the holding portion is provided with a polarization rib projecting in a radial direction.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the insulator is accommodated within a forward portion of the receptacle and wherein the ferrule is accommodated within a rearward portion of the receptacle.

6. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the insulator and the ferrule are inserted into the receptacle in an insertion direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the terminal body.

7. The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the ferrule is axially supported in insertion direction against a first stop face arranged in the forward portion of the receptacle.

8. The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the insulator is axially supported in insertion direction against a second stop face arranged in the rearward portion of the receptacle.

9. The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the terminal body is provided with at least one locking arm supporting the insulator against pull-out forces in a direction opposite to the insertion direction.

10. The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the ferrule is provided with a locking projection supporting the ferrule against the terminal body in a direction opposite to the insertion direction.

11. The electrical connector of claim 10, wherein the locking projection projects from an outer circumferential surface of the ferrule in a radial direction.

12. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the ferrule is made of sheet metal bent into a substantial sleeve like form.

13. The electrical connector of claim 12, wherein the locking projection is a lug cut out of the sheet metal and bent radial outwardly.

14. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the crimp portion has crimp wings wound around the cable and overlapping each other.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Other objections and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0027] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a first embodiment of an electrical connector;

[0028] FIG. 2 is a first longitudinal sectional view of the electrical connector according to FIG. 1;

[0029] FIG. 3 is another longitudinal sectional view of the electrical connector according to FIG. 1;

[0030] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the electrical connector according to FIG. 1;

[0031] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the terminal body of the electrical connector according to FIG. 1;

[0032] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a ferrule of the electrical connector according to FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a ferrule;

[0034] FIG. 8 is a front view of the ferrule according to FIG. 5 crimped to a cable having a small diameter;

[0035] FIG. 9 is a front view of the ferrule according to FIG. 5 crimped on to a cable with a bigger diameter than in FIG. 8;

[0036] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a second embodiment of an electrical connector;

[0037] FIG. 11 is a first longitudinal sectional view of the electrical connector according to FIG. 9 and

[0038] FIG. 12 is a second longitudinal sectional view of the electrical connector according to FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] FIGS. 1 to 5 depict a first embodiment of an electrical connector in different views and are described together.

[0040] The electrical connector comprises a terminal body 1 in the form of a tube, an insulator 2 and a metal ferrule 3. The tube like terminal body 1 accommodates the insulator 2 which is inserted into the terminal body 1 in an insertion direction M which is identical to a mating direction of the electrical connector for mating same with a counter connector. The insertion direction M is orientated parallel to a longitudinal axis L defined by the terminal body 1.

[0041] The electrical connector is part of a connector assembly which further comprises a connector housing 4 having a TPA (Terminal Position Assurance) device 5 mounted onto the connector housing 4. The terminal body 1 is inserted into the connector housing 4 which can be connected to a connector housing of a counter connector assembly.

[0042] The insulator 2 has a plurality of cavities 7 which are in the form of through openings in the insulator 2 and each of which accommodates one male terminal 6. In the present embodiment the electrical connector has four male terminals 6, each of which is connected to a wire 8 of a cable 9. For persons skilled in the art it is understood that also other cables having a different number of wires can be used wherein the number of male terminals 6 is adapted to the number of wires 8.

[0043] The cable 9 has an insulation 10 covering the wires 8. The ferrule 3 is placed and mounted, as described herein after, onto the insulation 10 of the cable 9. Each of the wires 8 is also provided with an insulation 12 covering a conductor, latter being connected to the respective male terminal 6.

[0044] The receptacle 11 has a rearward portion 13 and a forward portion 14 wherein viewed in insertion direction M the forward portion 14 is arranged in front of the rear-ward portion 13. Both portions 13, 14 of the receptacle 11 are substantially circular wherein the rearward portion 13 has a greater diameter than the forward portion 14. The insulator 2 is arranged within the forward portion 14 and the ferrule 3 is arranged in the rearward portion 13. The sub-assembly of cable 9, insulator 2 and ferrule 3 is inserted in insertion direction M into the receptacle 11. The Insulator 2 is pushed into the receptacle 11 until the ferrule 3 abuts a first stop face 15 within the rearward portion 13 of a receptacle 11. The ferrule 3 has a first front face 20 which is supported against said first stop face 15. The first stop face 15 is formed by a step between the rearward portion 13 having a greater diameter and the forward portion 14 having a smaller diameter.

[0045] The insulation 10 of the cable 9 reaches into the forward portion 14 of the receptacle 11. The insulator 2 in front of the insulation 10 of the cable 9 is inserted into the forward portion 14 of the receptacle 11 until a second front face 21 of the insulator 2 abuts a second stop face 19 of the terminal body 1. In order to ensure that the male terminals 6 are correctly orientated in regard to the angular position around the longitudinal axis L the insulator 2 and the terminal body 1 have a polarization feature. The insulator 2 has a guiding slot 24 orientated parallel to the longitudinal axis L which is formed into an outer circumferential face of the insulator 2 and has an enlarged portion 26. The enlarged portion 26 has a greater extension in circumferential direction than the rest of the guiding slot 24. Between the enlarged portion 26 and the rest of the guiding slot 24 the second front face 21 is formed, as can best be seen in FIG. 4.

[0046] Within the receptacle 11 the terminal body 1 has a guiding rib 25 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis L and projecting from the inner face of the terminal body 1 in a radial direction, as can be seen in FIG. 5. The guiding rib 25 also has an enlarged portion 27 having a greater extension in the circumferential direction than the rest of the guiding rib 25 so that the guiding rib 25 is adapted to the guiding slot 24 and is arranged within the guiding slot 24 in the mounted condition of the insulator 2 within the terminal body 1. The enlarged portion 27 of the guiding rib 25 forms said second stop face 19 so that in a fully inserted condition of the insulator 2 within the terminal body 1 the second front face 21 of the insulator 2 abuts the second stop face 19 of the guiding rib 25.

[0047] Hence, it is ensured that neither the insulator 2 nor the ferrule 3 can be inserted too deep into the terminal body 1 and have a definite position in the insertion direction M.

[0048] In order to ensure that the cable 9 cannot be pulled out of the terminal body 1 the ferrule 3 is provided with a lug 16 which projects from an outer circumferential face of the ferrule 3 in a radial direction and which projects into a locking opening 17 of the terminal body 1. In a direction opposite the insertion direction M the lug 16 is axially supported against a locking face 18 of the locking opening 17. The lug 16 is angled in regard to the longitudinal axis L such that during inserting the ferrule 3 into the cavity lithe lug 16 is pushed radially inwardly until the lug 16 reaches the locking opening 17 and deflects back into a relaxed position in which the lug 16 projects into the locking opening 17.

[0049] Due to the fact that the insulator 2 is only connected to the single wires 8 of the cable 9 by way of the male terminals 6, the insulator 2 would be pushed towards the insulation 10 of the cable 9 when the electrical connector is mated with a counter connector so that the wires 8 would be bent or buckled. In order to avoid this, the terminal body 1 is provided with locking arms 22 which project into the receptacle 11 in a relaxed position. The locking arms 22 can be radially pushed outwardly when the insulator 2 is inserted into the receptacle and flip back into the relaxed position when the insulator 2 is in a fully inserted condition. In this fully inserted condition of the insulator 2 the locking arms 22 project behind second locking faces 23 of the insulator 2 so that the insulator 2 is supported in a direction opposite to the insertion direction M against the locking arms 22.

[0050] When the terminal body 1 is inserted into the connector housing 4 a wall portion 30 of the connector housing 4 avoids that the locking arms 22 can be pushed radially outwardly so that the locking arms are secured. Further, if the insulator 2 is not fully inserted into the terminal body 1 the locking arms 22 are pushed radially outwardly by the insulator 2 so that the locking arms 22 project over an outer circumferential face of the terminals body 1 and would collide with the wall of the connector housing 4 when trying to insert the terminal body 1 into the housing 4. This ensures that the terminal body 1 can only be inserted into the connector housing 4 then the insulator 2 is fully inserted into the receptacle 11.

[0051] The ferrule 3, which is shown in more detail in FIGS. 6 to 9, has a sleeve-like holding portion 28 and a crimp portion 29 which are arranged consecutively in axial direction of the longitudinal axis L. Viewed in the insertion direction M the crimp portion 29 is arranged in front of the holding portion 28. The outer diameter of the holding portion 28 is adapted to the inner diameter of the rearward portion 13 of the receptacle 12 so that the ferrule 3 is centered to the longitudinal axis L within the rearward portion 13 of the receptacle 11. The ferrule 3 is made of a sheet metal material and bent into the form as shown in the drawings. The holding portion 28 comprises two wall portions 30, 31 which are bent into the sleeve-like holding portion 28.

[0052] The holding portion 28 can be provided with a polarization rib 32 (FIG. 7) which projects from the holding portion 28 in a radial direction and is orientated in the longitudinal direction L so that the ferrule 3 can be inserted with its polarization rib 32 into a polarization slot of the terminal body 1. In the drawings only an embodiment of the ferrule 3 having a polarization rib (FIG. 7) is shown but not a terminal body having a polarization slot.

[0053] The crimp portion 29 has two crimp wings 33, 34. The crimp wings 33, 34 are bent such that the crimp portion 29 has a sleeve-like form. The crimp wings 33, 34 are wound around the insulation 10 of the cable 9 and overlap each other. This means, that the crimp wings 33, 34 are arranged one behind the other viewed in insertion direction M .

[0054] The overlapping of the crimp wings 33, 34 is important in order to ensure that the crimp portion 29 can be adapted to different cable diameters as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 8 shows the crimp portion 29 being crimped onto a cable having a smaller diameter than the cable as shown in FIG. 9. Therefore, the same ferrule 3 can be used for different cable diameters so that cables with different diameters can be connected to one and the same terminal body 1. As the holding portion 28 of the ferrule 3 centers the ferrule 3 within the rearward portion 13 of the receptacle 11 cables of different diameters can be connected with the terminal body 1.

[0055] The ferrule 3 also can be used for electrical connectors having male terminals and having female terminals. FIGS. 10 to 12 show a counter connector as second embodiment of an electric connector having female terminals wherein the same ferrule 3 is used as in connection with the embodiment as disclosed in the FIGS. 1 to 9. In the FIGS. 10 to 12 all elements having the same function as in the first embodiment are provided with the same reference numerals increased by 100 and are described in connection with the first embodiment.